


Absinthe and Tea Thyme Cocktail

by BlueAmethyst



Series: Nights of Bar Noctis [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, First Meetings, Gen, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Supernatural Creature!Annabeth, Supernatural Creature!Clarisse, Supernatural Creature!Percy, Supernatural Creature!Piper, Supernatural Elements, author loves supernatural creatures and mythical beings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-13
Updated: 2017-11-13
Packaged: 2019-02-01 20:37:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12712506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueAmethyst/pseuds/BlueAmethyst
Summary: In a little corner in a big city, there is a bar that is open from sundown to sunrise.In which Percy Jackson is stressed, drinks, meets Annabeth Chase, owes her, and agrees to pay her back.





	Absinthe and Tea Thyme Cocktail

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own any of the literature mentioned above, nor do I own any of the characters featured. The honor goes to the esteemable Rick Riordan.
> 
> Comments very much welcomed.

 

In a little corner in a big city, there is a bar that is open from sundown to sunrise.

 

 

ΩΩΩ

 

 

 Percy Jackson shuddered in the chilly March wind as he shouldered his way into the bar. Immediately, the smell of dog fur invaded his nose. Making a face, he shot a half-hearted glare at the werewolf in the corner as he took his usual seat at the bar.

 “Well, someone has a long face.”

 He looked up at the cheery voice and grinned amicably at the bartender.

 “What can I say? It’s work. As usual.”

 “Oh, honey, maybe you should get a better job.” 

 Percy snorted. “Like what? A blacksmith? Firefighter?” 

 The succubus stuck out a tongue and handed him his drink with a quick slide of her hand. Percy ran a finger around the rim of the glass. The green of the absinthe caught and reflected against his almost-glowing eyes. 

 “Still, it must be tantalizingly uncomfortable to play coast guard – all that ocean before you so _tempting_.”

 He rolled his eyes and shrugged. “There ain’t a better job around.”

 Piper threw him a sympathetic look as she moved on to take another order. Percy took a sip of his drink and closed his eyes with a sigh. It wasn’t just the job, he knew. The air has been horribly dry the past few weeks and even when he is near the sea he could feel it in his skin. Perhaps it was time to screw the bills and take another giant, 8-hour-long bath with running water.

 But baths were never enough to sate his needs. It wasn’t salt water for one thing. And the purifying chemicals in it made his skin crawl.

 A small jingle of bells pulled him out of his thoughts. Percy opened his eyes as someone slid into the spot next to him.

 “A Tea Thyme cocktail, please,” said a pleasant, no-nonsense female voice from his right.

 Percy glanced at her from the corner of his eyes rather curiously. As far as he could tell, she was fairly humanoid without any supernaturally distinguishing features. That didn’t mean she was human – she wouldn’t be here if she were. There were plenty of them that could interchange their looks. Like dog-smelling Clarisse. Like him.

 He realized he was staring just as his eyes met a pair of silver-grey eyes. Hastily he turned away and nearly knocked over his glass.

 “Rare to see one of your kind so far from the sea.”

 Percy’s eyes snapped back over to her. He narrowed his eyes, and then cockily raised his eyebrows.

 “There are always exceptions.”

 “Ah, the adventurers. You dreamt of land when you were young, then?”

 “No, I needed money. Don’t we all?” He deadpanned.

 The woman tilted her head, her serious expression somewhat loosening. “True.”

 Percy fidgeted uneasily on his stool then stuck out a rough hand. “I’m Percy Jackson.”

 “…Annabeth Chase,” she answered, carefully shaking his hand. The tiny scales under his wrist briefly caught the dim light, shining like pearls. He thought he caught a whiff of hyacinth and melting snow, but then again he could never be sure of his nose on land. 

 “So Annabeth,” Percy took another sip and felt the burn of the green liquor down his throat, “I don’t think I’ve ever really seen you around Noctis before.”

 “That may be because this is my first time here.”

 Percy threw a sidelong glance. “First time? Someone recommended here to you or something?”

 Annabeth shrugged. “A couple cousins of mine.” She glanced at him and toyed with the cocktail glass in her hand.

 “Don’t worry, it’ll rain in a couple of days.” She announced very suddenly.

 Percy almost choked as he spun around to face her (his kind couldn’t choke on water, but alcohol was a different story).

 “What did you just say?”

 Annabeth smirked. “You’re feeling too dry, aren’t you? It’s been horribly arid for the past few weeks. I’ve been hearing complaints all around.”

 Percy gaped. He met her silver eyes and was startled at the wise, satisficed glint in them. Distractedly he noticed a stray curl of her hair curling against her cheek.

 “You… seem to know a lot about me.”

 “For someone who knows what to look, Mr. Jackson, the world is a much more open book.”

 She winked, her stoic face dissolving for a moment of casual playfulness. Percy flushed at the sudden intimacy, and then mentally slapped himself for that. Triton and Neptune, this was embarrassing.

 “Uh – , “ he cleared his throat. “How can you be sure?”

 “As I said, I have ears. I have heard stories and complaints floating around… the usual place I hang around.” Annabeth tilted her head. “I do believe you would benefit with this information, Mr. Jackson.”

 “I… uh. Yeah, it’s good to know, but…”

 He couldn’t completely erase the relief in his voice. If the air got any drier he was going to run off back into the sea, screw his job. But how she knew this was still rather beyond him. As far as he could tell she wasn’t a sylph or an aurora, or even a damn prophet. She didn’t feel like it.

 “Then I am glad I have been of service.” Annabeth said with a sudden grin that made Percy’s breath catch in his throat.

 She downed her glass and daintily left, as sudden and surprising as her arrival, leaving her bills next to the glass. Percy stared after her retreating form, her grey coat fading into the dreary early spring night. He shook his head. It hadn’t rained in over three weeks. That… whatever she was, was probably just fooling with him. He turned back around when something caught his eye on the counter next to her empty glass. It was a bracelet of interwoven wooden cords, pattern intricate and beautiful. He reached out to pick it up. As soon as his fingertips touched the wood his eyes widened.

 It was made of rowan.

 

.

 

 Two days later, Percy ducked into the bar soaking wet from the torrents of rain, drawing his usual scarf tighter around his neck. Clarisse the smelly werewolf pushed against his shoulder as she passed him, muttering savagely about stinking fish. Uncaring, he made his way over to his usual spot, sliding into the stool with a grin on his face. As soon as he sat down he turned to the woman sitting next to him. 

 “You heard about this at your Court, didn’t you?” he accused, his smile barely faltering. He was almost deliriously happy with all the water in the air. Annabeth smiled and took a sip of her drink.

 “I don’t know if you’re from the Seelie or the Unseelie,” he continued, “But I’ll take a leap of faith and say Seelie, since you were much more helpful and much less malicious to me a couple days ago.”

 She smirked. “Indeed, I’m of the Seelie.” Her eyes glinted with unreadable intent as she glanced coyly at him. “Was I useful to you?”

 “Very.” Percy said heartily. “Knowing it would rain… By the Seven Seas, it helped me stand the past two days a lot.”

 “I’m glad I was able to do a favor for you.” Annabeth replied, her voice low and sly.

 “Yes, very…” Percy stopped then paled.

  _A favor_. Oh, he was an idiot.

 He turned his eyes to her, all traces of his joy gone.

 “I owe you a favor,” he stated hoarsely, rising panic evident in his voice. Annabeth’s silver eyes sparkled.

 “Fortunately, I know what I want from you,” her red lips curved up. “And I assure you, Mr. Jackson, it’s not very hard.”

 “What is it?” Percy gulped.

 “Buy me a drink.”

 Percy blinked. “Buy you a drink? But…” he looked at her in disbelief and then met her silvery eyes. Understanding knocked the breath out of his lungs. “ _Oh._ ”

 Annabeth took another sip of her cocktail. Percy studied her slender fingers, her sensible heels, how the dim light of the bar ran down her blonde hair like honey.

 He paused. Then he smiled.

 “Are you sure a highborn Fae of the Seelie Court should be consorting with a lowly Merman like me?” He asked, though his voice was considerably playful.

 Annabeth looked into his eyes tilted her head in mock consideration. “It’s true my people of my rank don’t usually consort with yours.” Then she grinned almost savagely. “Still, there are always _exceptions_.”

 Percy remembered those words and barked out a short, surprised laugh. She smiled back and then looked at him through her eyelashes, a sudden display of shyness that made Percy’s cheeks burn. “Besides, Mr. Jackson, I know I would very much enjoy your… _drink_.”

 Percy grinned, his earlier mirth returning full-strength.

 

 

Outside the rain washed down the road all the way to the harbor.

 

 

 

 


End file.
